Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Five O'Clock Club, Pewaukee, WI

So, in case you're annoyed with me, or possibly sick of me entirely, you might want to stop reading this blog, because I'm still on my "anti-tartar" campaign. I feel like I'm lobbying for restaurants to step up the game a little bit and season the batter.

This week is no different as our group headed to the Five O'Clock Club in Pewaukee.  I will say, I was pretty excited for this trip as I've been to the 5-O before, and my entrees each and every time were extremely delicious.  However, until last Friday, I had yet to order their famous fish fry, and I don't think I'll order it again.

As we drove into the parking lot around 8pm on Friday, the place was packed.  Packed as in, people were creating their own parking spaces packed (I was not one of them, I got lucky) -- even later in the evening our wait was over 45 minutes, but it was to be expected for one of the best fish frys around (according to many, many people I've talked to over the last two years).  We found a cozy spot in the corner of the bar area and our conversation led to a quick passing of the quarter of an hour.

We were seated, and withing minutes the overrun waitress greeted us with our own portion of coleslaw, tartar sauce (of course) for the table and rye bread.  She set that in front of our faces even prior to us ordering our entrees, but none of us complained, it was late and we were hungry.

I decided on the small fried cod with french fries, $8.50, while my counterparts the table ordered the perch/cod combo, $14.95 (also with fries).  The 5-O does not have any other potato option besides fries, unless you want to pay extra, and that was a huge disappointment, as I'm a big fan of the potato pancake.  We overlooked the starchy glitch and continued to dig into what I considered some of the best cole slaw in Lake Country, it was oil-based, but not too greasy and seasoned to absolute perfection,  an even better follow-up was the homemade seafood chowder, again this was a great homemade soup with big chunks of seafood and potatoes and just the right mixture of veggies in a creamy broth.  I figured this was just like the composition of a symphony, light bright beginning, a lingering, yet pleasant middle and then the climactic ending. 

We missed out on the climactic ending.

The fish was cooked perfectly, the breading was gorgeous in color and flawless in it's crumb texture, but one very big thing was missing, the flavor.  Up to this point we were treated with a great introduction of appetizing components leading up to our very mediocre main entree.  It's that simple, I was again disappointed in the seasoning.

And for all your tartar lovers out there, my experts said it was too sweet.

So, there you have it. I'm sorry if you feel as though you're reading the same blog over and over the last month or so, but honestly that's what I've been eating over and over the last month -- it's the fish fry equivalent to Ground Hog's Day. 

I will rate the Five O'Clock Club a 7 out of 10.  It is strictly because the soup and coleslaw were excellent, but those things should never outshine the main character. 

Here's to another week in the books.  Next week I hope to fix my bland problem...cross your fingers.  And hug the ones you love too!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Finn's Bar & Grill and The Phoenix

Well, what a ride it's been the last few weeks.  The Packers win the NFC Championship, I have a birthday, the Packers win the Super Bowl and now I recover.  It never ceases to amaze me the wonderful roller coaster ride you go on as a sports fan, but the ultimate reward capped off a great season on Sunday and I'm still riding high!

Now, onto the business at hand.  First of all, this might get a little lengthy as I'm going to make a plea to all the fish fry establishments in the Lake Country area (and all places for that matter).  Please, please, please do not settle for mediocrity.  Over the course of the last month or so, I've travelled to various places to enjoy a fish fry, and while my meals weren't terrible, none of them have been over the top either.  I haven't thoroughly enjoyed my meal since, well, since the last time I was at the Phoenix in Hartland.

Just because you cook a mean fish, you're breading has that super crunch and the fish is done well, doesn't mean the task is finished.  You see, I do NOT like tartar sauce (most tartar sauces) and if a fish fry is great, you don't need to dip an already greasy piece of food into more grease.

I think a lot of places bank on you dousing your fish fry in tartar sauce and lemon. To me, it covers up any shortcomings the batter/breading might have. To me, it's complacency. To me, it's lazy.

I compare this thought to cooking a great steak, my grandfather and my dad always told me that if a cut of meat is done right and seasoned to perfection, you do not need any steak sauce.  The same can be said for the bad marriage between tartar and fried fish.

I've encountered this at a few different restaurants and the latest was Finn's Bar & Grill, 220 West Summit Ave., Wales, WI.  I've had people ask me to go there, claiming it was one of the best in the area.  While Ann and I enjoyed ourselves, I would say the fried cod was average in taste, very well cooked and breaded to absolute perfection, but nothing to excite my taste buds.  My guess is it tasted much, much better after a clear coat of tartar.

Our potato pancakes were not homemade (admitted by our server), but they were the highlight of my meal. They had to have been some of the best "box" pancakes I've ever tasted and the coleslaw was also a nice compliment to our entree.  To top it all off, our server was pleasant and our meals were brought out in a timely fashion, all while the dining room was full of warm bodies.  Finns was out of baked cod when Ann and I arrived, so unfortunately, I can only comment on the fried cod. They also have a combo platter with various deep-fried fishy goodies (perch, cod, shrimp) to entice you. The prices are reasonable at Finns and regardless of my earlier rant, I do want to visit again.

I will give Finns a solid 7 out of 10.  Not bad, not great.

The best Fish Fry in Lake Country over the course of the last year and a half is still The Phoenix in Hartland.  I went back last week, to get rejuvenated. Like a junkie I needed my Phoenix fix. And, for the third time now, my meal was simply amazing (be ready to wait at least an hour for your meal, no matter what time you arrive, swiftness is not their forte). The server recognized us (only my third time being there), the baked haddock, fried cod, potato pancakes were scrumptious and I left full, happy and ready to find another establishment that can compare to my favorite hole in the wall fish fry. I have yet to find the rare combination of atmosphere (very unique, and not entirely classy), service and comfort food the Phoenix offers. It's hard to describe in words, you have to go and see what I'm talking about.

Bring it on Lake Country, I want to taste the best entree you have to offer, I challenge you to beat the Phoenix for the number one spot in my blog.

Thanks for reading the rant, I realize it's probably not your average fish fry blog, but I'm not your average person.  Have a wonderful rest of your week. Soak up every moment of this Super Bowl victory and go out and enjoy a fish fry on Friday.  Let me know if you think I'm on the mark, or off my rocker!

Don't forget to visit our facebook page Lake Country Wisconsin Fish Frys -- and give any suggestion, comment or critique.

As always, make sure you hug someone special, it's Valentine's, hug two people if it makes you happy!